1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system employing a fixture which detachably secures an object to a predetermined base material, and more particularly to a system in which device constituent elements such as various types of mechanism components, sensors and the like (hereinafter, including embodiments, referred to as “unit”) are appropriately combined to construct a unit constituent body and perform experiment, research, education and the like of a function or the like of the unit constituent body.
2. Description of the Related Art
Considering an automated device as an example, the automated device needs a mechanism section constituting an output terminal portion which imparts an objective operation to an object, an operation (interlock) converting mechanism for driving the mechanism section, and a drive mechanism for driving the operation converting mechanism. The automated device also needs a control system which issues an operation command to the drive source and a sensor which supplies information such as an operational state and position of an object to the control system.
For designing the automated device, advanced technical knowledge is naturally required. Even if you have such knowledge, when respective types of units are assembled to enable examination of real operational state to be performed before a real device is constructed, a problem which could not be expected in an impractical state may be found, and an appropriate design may be made in which design and alternation may be made for more efficient configurations by altering combination of units. Further, such flexible combination of units is preferable also as an educational device for improving design technique of students or the like other than persons having technical knowledge described above.
The present inventors, considering the above-described circumstances, have proposed “Automated Mechanism Research Education Device” disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 06-8980, and this device has widely utilized in various type of research facilities, and educational facilities such as universities and technical high schools to gain popularity.
In the invention described in the above Patent Document, a large number of various units constituting an automated device are prepared, and a device user (hereinafter referred to as “user” simply) such as designers and students appropriately select units which are suited for their own designs to assemble selected units so as to construct one mechanism integrally.
FIG. 12 shows an exemplary structure of a device proposed in the above document.
In the device having the structure illustrated, a large number of rails 10X arranged in an X direction perpendicular to rails 10Y arranged in a Y direction are arranged with respect to the rails 10Y, and each of the rails 10X is a direct attachment object with respect to each unit. That is, each unit selects a predetermined rail 10X to determine an attachment position in the Y direction, and identifies a predetermined position of a specified rail 10X in the longitudinal direction of the rail 10X to provide positioning in the X direction. Thus, positions in the X and Y directions are determined in each unit, and each unit is coupled to constitute a specific device (mechanism) integrally.
The structure, operational state and the like of the mechanism shown in FIG. 9 will be described below in order to explain usability of the present invention though it is nearly redundant.
The constructed system in FIG. 12 is one kind of synchronization drive system in which timing of a belt conveyer is matched to a feed screw of a motor drive. A belt conveyer main body 16a is secured to a base 16b of a unit, and the base 16b is fixed on an arbitrary position in the longitudinal direction of a rail 10X by a bolt 16c. All bolts securing other units are shown by reference character B below. The rails 10X on which respective units should be attached are selected in accordance with an arrangement state of the entire mechanism constituted by the respective units as described above, and the respective units are fixed on appropriate positions along the longitudinal direction of the selected rail 10X by employing the bolt B. The structure is made such that a bolt through portion of a base material is an oblong hole so that the position with respect to the Y direction is finely adjustment.
Respective units fixed on the respective rails 10X will be described. Reference numeral 17 denotes a reversible motor unit having a speed reducing mechanism which is one actuator unit, and reference numeral 18 denotes a perpendicular conversion feeding screw unit which is one type of mechanism unit for operation conversion and which is coupled with the reversible motor unit 17 having the speed reducing mechanism through a coupling 29.
Reference numeral 19 designates a translatory table type unit which is classified as one type of output terminal unit or operation converting mechanism unit, and is coupled with the perpendicular conversion feeding screw unit 18 through a rod 20. Reference numeral 21 designates a reflective photoelectric sensor unit which is one type of sensor unit. The unit 21 is arranged adjacent to the translatory table type unit 19 to thereby detect movement of a translatory table of the translatory table type unit to allow its positional signal to be displayed on a display screen (not shown) of a computer.
Reference numeral 22 designates an oil/air conversion cylinder unit which is one type of actuator, and reference numeral 23 denotes a one-way clutch unit which is an operation converting mechanism and which is coupled with the oil/air conversion cylinder unit 22 through a rod 24. The belt conveyer unit 16 is coupled with the one-way clutch unit 23. The units are respectively coupled with other units mechanically and signally to construct an integral machine system in one body, that is, a synchronization drive system of a belt conveyer. Because of the structure, when in the system, the oil/air conversion cylinder of the oil/air conversion cylinder unit 22 is driven by a signal of a photoelectric sensor of the photoelectric sensor unit 21, the belt conveyer of the belt conveyer unit 16 is driven for only one-way part every time.
Next, these units are coupled with a predetermined control circuit of a control panel 11 to cause the respective constituent units to perform predetermined operations. For example, it is constructed such that a user may construct a desired control system by connecting a predetermined line part of a plurality of relay terminals arranged or such that they are connected to an assembled relay circuit to control the mechanism based on a predetermined control order.
The reversible motor unit 17 having the speed reducing mechanism is operated by the operation signal of the control system constructed as describe above, and its driving force becomes linear motion in the perpendicular conversion feeding screw unit 18. In this case, by allowing the reversible motor unit 17 having the speed reducing mechanism to be connected to a timer 25, the reversible motor of the motor unit 17 undergoes a phase reversal at preset time to allow the feed screw of the same unit 18 to advance and retreat. The operation of the feed screw is transmitted to the translatory table of the translatory table type unit 19 through the rod 20 to allow the table to advance and retreat. The operation state of the table is detected by the reflective photoelectric sensor unit 21, and its positional signal is outputted to a computer or the like to be employed as a timing signal which drives the belt conveyer unit. Further, it is possible to additionally incorporate the timer 25 in the relay circuit to alter control by a method of controlling the circuit's ON/OFF.
The drive force of the oil/air conversion cylinder unit 22 is transmitted to the one-way clutch unit 23 through the rod 22 to provide intermittent operation, and by this intermittent operation, the belt conveyer of the belt conveyer unit 16 is intermittently operated.
As the exemplary structure and its operation state are specifically shown in the above, in the system which has been proposed in advance by the present inventors, a plurality of units for constituting the device are arranged and secured to desired positions, respectively, which makes it possible to freely construct a system in accordance with a predetermined object.
In the above device, when a desired mechanism is appropriately assembled and operated, the usability of the device will be improved further by allowing the following necessary conditions to be satisfied.
(1) The arrangement of each unit is appropriately performed.
If the arrangement of each unit is not appropriately performed, for example, loss may be generated in transmission of drive force from a drive unit to another unit, or if it is a translatory drive, a problem may occur such as a drift in the drive direction is generated. Further, in the case of the sensor unit, an operation state of another unit cannot be measured accurately if a sensing position is not appropriate, and consequently, timing of a signal becomes inappropriate.
(2) The arrangement of each mechanical constituent unit can be performed firmly.
In a drive unit and a unit which receives drive force from the drive unit to perform a predetermined operation, stress by which the entire unit is to move in a direction opposite to the drive direction by reaction force against the drive force is generated. That is, when each unit is not firmly secured, position of each unit may change in accordance with reaction force against the drive force, and the entire mechanism becomes in a so-called clattering state by vibration or the like due to repeated operations of the drive body such as a cam in which the axis of rotation is eccentric to cause an operation defect, so that the operation of an integral mechanism becomes impossible finally.
(3) Changes of arrangement positions of respective units can be made easily.
For example, in the case where the placement of a predetermined unit is reversed in the front or back direction, or depending on the circumstances in the case where a unit is exchanged with another unit, or in the case where the arrangement position of a unit is finely adjusted several times, it is necessary that attachment and detachment of a unit to and from an attachment object such as the rail 10X is easy. Here, that the attachment and detachment is easy means that operation of attachment and detachment is simple, that a special tool is not necessary for the operation, and that a large amount of force is not necessary. In short, it means that attachment/detachment and movement of a unit can be performed in a short period of time without necessitating a special skill, tool, and a large amount of force in the operation.
This point conflicts with the above-described requirement (2). The relationship of an antinomy is usually likely caused such that facility of attachment and detachment is deteriorated when a unit is firmly fixed and that firmness of securing is sacrificed when facility of attachment and detachment is improved. However, a great stride in usability as a device will be made if both properties are compatible with each other.
Considering the above-described prior arts from the above-described viewpoints, it is nearly perfect as a device in light of being capable of constituting almost all of desired mechanisms. But, since each mechanism is secured to a predetermined rail 10X by means of a bolt B as shown in FIG. 12, firm securing of respective units regarding the condition (2) can be easily cleared by screwing the bolt B tightly. However, a tool for screwing such as a screwdriver and an adjustable spanner is necessary for securing bolts, and it is necessary to repeat operation of loosening and screwing the bolts B every time fine positional adjustment is performed. For this reason, regarding (3) in which fine adjustment of arrangement of a unit should be performed easily, its achievement is difficult. Further, the manner in which the bolt through hole of each unit is an oblong hole extending in the Y direction for fine adjustment so as to perform the fine adjustment in the Y direction is also far from facility of the fine adjustment.